The Awareness Center closed. We operated from April 30, 1999 - April 30, 2014. This site is being provided for educational & historical purposes.
We were the international Jewish Coalition Against Sexual Abuse/Assault (JCASA); and were dedicated to ending sexual violence in Jewish communities globally. We did our best to operate as the make a wish foundation for Jewish survivors of sex crimes. In the past we offered a clearinghouse of information, resources, support and advocacy.

Monday, January 01, 2001

Definition of Terms relating to Sexual Victimization

Definition of Terms relating to Sexual
Victimization

Sexual
Assault/Rape - often referred to as rape, is legally defined
differently in each state. In New Jersey, the law defines sexual assault
as "the penetration, no matter how slight, in which physical force or coercion
is used or in which the victim is physically or mentally incapacitated."
Penetration is defined as "vaginal intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio or
anal intercourse between persons or the insertion of a hand, finger or other
object into the anus or vagina by either the actor or upon the actor's
instruction" (NJSA 2C:14-1). In most states the law, which is gender neutral,
does not specify male or female, but uses the words "actor" and "victim"
to describe the persons involved.

Childhood
Sexual Abuse and Incest (Incest Survivors Annoymous)

A betrayal of trust in
overt and covert sexual contact or act which possibly includes: touching
or non-touching, verbal seduction or abuse, anal or vaginal intercourse,
oral sex, sodomy, manual stimulation, direct threats, implied threats,
or other forms of abuse between people who are related genetically, by marriage
(step-parents to step children), by living arrangements, or in whom a child
perceives a trusting relationship, i.e., mother, father, grandfather,
grandmother, aunts, uncles, cousins, stepparents, step-siblings, half-siblings,
live-in or sleep-over lovers, brothers, sisters, foster parents, adoptive
parents, neighbors, family friends, baby sitters, anyone either known or
a stranger with a power advantage of any kind over the child, or professionals
such as teacher, extracurricular activities instructor, coach, professor,
school principal, nurse, doctor, orderly, dentist, technician, therapist,
social worker, minister, priest, nun, shopkeeper, landlord, scout leader,
laborer, janitor, office worker, pilot, U.S. military personnel, lawyer,
judge, police officer, mail carrier, politician, banker, corporate executive,
or anyone whose employment or social standing puts them in a position of
power over a child. This also includes any adult in a position of power
who betrays the trust of a trusting adult.

When this trust between a child and an older child,
sibling, parent-figure or adult is violated, that act becomes
incestuous. We put full responsibility on the initiator for whatever
took place. The child's age may range from conception, newborn, preschool,
school age, teenager and older.

Criminal sexual contact - is legally
defined as "intentional, non-consensual touching by the victim or actor,
either directly or through clothing, of a victim's or actor's sexual organs,
genital area, anal area, inner thigh, groin buttock or breast, for the purpose
of degrading or humiliating the victim or sexually arousing or sexually
gratifying the actor,"

Sexual Harrassment - is not included
in the legal definition of sexual assault, but sexual assault can be a part
of sexual harassment.Within employment or school settings, sexual harassment
is a form of sex discrimination that is prohibited by Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 under the Federal law.Title VII defines sexual harassment
as "unwelcome" sexual conduct that is a term or condition of employment (29
C.F.R. 1604. 11a).

Peer sexual harassment - occurs in
a variety of forms that may include sexual assault or criminal sexual
contact.Other forms of this type of harassment include sexual comments, noises
or gestures that threaten, scare, or make the victim uncomfortable.The behavior
of the perpetrator would determine what crime was committed.

Date
Rape and Relationship Violence

Maritial Rape - Legal definition
varies within the United States, marital rape can be defined as any unwanted
intercourse or penetration (vaginal, anal, or oral) obtained by force, threat
of force, or when the wife is unable to consent. Rape in marriage is an extremely
prevalent form of sexual violence, particularly when women who are involved
in physically abusive relationships may be especially vulnerable to rape
by their partners.

Domestic Violence - This is NOT the
exactly the focus of The Awareness Center. Domestic Violence usually refers
to spousal abuse. In some cases there is marital rape and incest (which is
a part of the focus of The Awareness Center).

Child Maltreatment - Child maltreatment
is the general term used to describe all forms of child abuse and neglect.
There is no one commonly accepted definition of "child abuse and
neglect."

The federal government defines child abuse and neglect
in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act as "the physical and mental
injury, sexual abuse, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under
the age of 18 by a person who is responsible for the child's welfare under
circumstances which indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed
or threatened. Each state provides its own definition of child abuse and
neglect. Child maltreatment encompasses physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect
and emotional abuse, which can be defined as follows:

Sexual Abuse - Involvement of dependent,
developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities which
they do not fully comprehend and to which they are unable to give informed
consent. Sexual abuse includes touching, fondling and penetration.

Emotional / Psychological Abuse - The habitual
verbal harassment of a child by disparagement, criticism, threat and ridicule.
Emotional or psychological abuse includes behavior that threatens or
intimidates a child. It includes threats, name calling, belittling and
shaming.

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Survivors ARE Heroes!

The Awareness Center believes ALL survivors of sex crimes should be given yellow ribbons to wear proudly.

Survivors of sexual violence (as adults and/or as a child) are just as deserving of a yellow ribbon as the men and women of our armed forces, who have been held captive as hostages or prisoners of war.

Survivors of sexual violence have been forced to learn how to survive, being held captive not by foreigners, but mostly by their own family members, teachers, camp counselors, coaches babysitters, rabbis, cantors or other trusted authority figures.

For these reasons ALL survivors of sexual violence should be seen as heroes!